We’re shaking things up in Decatur!
The Decatur Square, our city’s center and our downtown’s largest public space, is undergoing an exciting transformation with improvements and innovations pivotal to Decatur’s Town Center 2.0 master plan. With more open space and designated performance and play areas, our reimagined Square will better serve the evolving needs of our community.
Square New Features
Performance Arts Stage and Expanded Lawn
A permanent performing arts stage, equipped with a green room and large viewing screen, will become a new focal point for the Decatur Square. Positioned on the westernmost edge near the Historic Courthouse / DeKalb History Center, the new stage will anchor special events including concerts and movie screenings. More turf and hardscape will replace the community bandstand, creating a more expansive, uninterrupted green space.
Hillside Play Area
The east end of the existing plaza alongside Squash Blossom has been reimagined into a colorful playscape! Think slides, spring rockers and rope climbs atop a gentle slope of bright hues. The family-friendly addition includes seating areas for parents while allowing pedestrian access through the space.
MARTA Bus Terminal Upgrades
Decatur’s MARTA bus terminal will be redesigned to create a more welcoming entrance into the Decatur Square. The simplified pedestrian procession will be more intentional and intuitive for visitors, allowing easier access and views into the Square.
North McDonough Plaza
We’re expanding! The footprint of the Square will expand into the North McDonough Street loop to accommodate new amenities including a permanent restroom facility and green infrastructure. The beloved “Celebration” sculpture fountain will also relocate here. The shortened turnaround will maintain metered parking as well as electric vehicle charging, ADA spaces, and a loading zone.
Public Restrooms
Restrooms will be added on North McDonough Plaza, close to the performance lawn and stage area, ensuring convenience for all visitors. These permanent facilities will be shaded and partially concealed by a new tree grove while sight lines to the Decatur Historic Courthouse / DeKalb History Center and the John Lewis statue remain clear. Restrooms will close after hours.
Open for Business
Businesses are open!
Keep supporting our locally-owned shops and restaurants. You can still stroll easily to your favorite go-tos, and with new businesses opening all around town, you’ll probably discover something new!
You can cross over the plaza portion of Decatur Square, and ADA ramps are still accessible on both sides. Alternate pedestrian access from North McDonough Street will be marked as construction fencing goes up.
Timeline
How did we get here?
The Decatur Square has undergone several significant transformations through the decades. The Square ShakeUp has undergone an extensive public engagement process through the Town Center 2.0 master plan development to ensure our entire community is well served. Scroll through to see the various iterations of the Square, from past to present.
In 2007 the plaza underwent another sizable renovation. The plaza was paved using images of local city buildings, and ten glowing Art Nouveau light towers were installed to brighten the space. These turquoise lanterns have become an iconic part of the Decatur Square, and were captured on film in The Watchmen.
The Decatur Town Center Plan 2.0 is adopted on June 20, 2023. The plan outlines a refreshed vision of Decatur Square.
See the whole plan here!
The public was invited to the groundbreaking ceremony on Thursday, April 17. The event began at 10:30 am on the Decatur Square at the Community Bandstand with remarks from officials at 11 am.
Getting Around During Construction
Pedestrian Detours
Walking and wheeling access to all businesses around the Square will be maintained throughout construction including ADA ramps over the plaza. As construction fencing goes up around the space, more information will be added here concerning walking detours.
Plentiful Parking
Downtown Decatur parking is plentiful, convenient and affordable. A limited number of on-street parking spaces will be affected during project construction. Spaces on North McDonough Street loop (in front of Decatur City Hall and the DeKalb Courthouse) will be unavailable. The East Court Square parking loop will remain open except for specific event closures. Find out more information about Decatur’s paid parking lots, decks, and metered spaces on the city’s website.
Frequently Asked Questions
The new features and facilities reflect the extensive community input that informed our strategic plan, Decatur Town Center Plan 2.0. Our residents spoke, and the development team listened. The new design will support events, programming, and daily activities with more open space, an improved performance stage and a new kids play area. Our reimagined square will better serve the evolving needs of our community.
The Decatur Square ShakeUp is a Town Center 2.0 project, part of a strategic plan that outlines a vision for the future of downtown. True to Decatur tradition, the community was integral in shaping that vision through a series of community meetings, online and paper surveys, booths at community festivals, stakeholder roundtables and a steering committee of community leaders. The city commission adopted the Town Center 2.0 Plan on June 20, 2023. Additional community discussions about the redesign of the square followed for the Decatur Square Transformation plan. The Square ShakeUp is the implementation of that plan.
The $8.5 million renovation to Decatur Square is funded from Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST II) dollars.
The Square ShakeUp project is expected to take 10 months to complete, with the goal of a full reopening prior to the FIFA World Cup in June 2026.
The Community Bandstand will be removed. The “Celebration” sculpture will be moved to the extended North McDonough Plaza. “Empathy,” the new John Lewis memorial by Basil Watson will remain in place.
The new features and facilities planned for the Decatur Square will remake it as a more engaging and accessible public space that encourages residents and visitors of all ages and abilities to converge, attend special events and explore our shops and restaurants. Reestablishing it as a destination will help keep our downtown center thriving.
Yes, business on and around the Decatur Square will remain open and accessible throughout construction! Read more here.
During construction, events will continue to be held downtown, but site plans may look a little different! Most of our annual events will continue in the same general area, but some may shift to segments of Ponce de Leon Avenue in front of the Historic DeKalb Courthouse, or to locations just a block or two off the square. Always check individual event websites for updated information.
Fourteen trees will be removed during construction, most of which are maples ranging from 6 to 13 inches in diameter and in poor condition. As part of The Square Shake Up, 11 new trees will be planted along the North McDonough Plaza extension, including one near the new stage.
Shade structures will also be installed on the east end of the Square near the new Hillside Play Area.
More Questions? We’ve Got Answers
